Assigetob to westinghouse



J. M. BROWN. swlcHBoARD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.24. 19H.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

j board Apparatus, of

JAMES M. BROWN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE- ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA..v

SWITCHBOARD APPARATUS.

Application tiled November 24, 1911.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switchwhich the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to switchboard apparatus and it has special reference to devices for protect-ing the operating mechanisms of remotely-operated rheostats or Similar apparatus. A

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the above-indicated character that shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, effective in operation and be articularly well adapted for a wide range of adjustability in orderto meetV a variety of service conditions.

In switchboard work it is often customary Y to locate a rheostat or similar apparatus at some distance from the switchboard and to operate the same by means of an operating handle'associated with the panel,` through the agency of a chain and sprocket mechanism. In the use of such apparatus, short circuits have sometimes been established by accidental breakage of the chains and engagement of the separated ends thereof with the bus bar structure. Furthermore, it .is frequently impossible-to locate the rheostats and the driving chains in the most desirable and advantageous positions because of the positions occupied by the bus barsand'other electrical apparatus at the back of the switchboard.

According to my invention, I provide adequate means for protecting the driving chains from injury and for conini'ng them, in case of breakage, so that electrical disturbances, of the character referred to, are prevented.

. Furthermore, by reason of the adjustability of my protecting. device, it is possible to cause the -chains to occupy any denlte positions in order to avoid any obstacles that may exist by reason of the arrangement of bus bars and other apparatus.

This adjustable feature is of particular Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 662,216.

`nitely located in tangential relation with the coperating sprockets, whereby kinks in the chains are prevented and undue frictional resistance is obviated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a portion of a device constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a back view, partially in section, of the device shown in Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4 are outline views showing the device adjusted in two different positions.

Referring to the drawings, the device here shown comprises a switch board .panel 1, an operating hand wheel 2, a rheostat 3, an operiting mechanism 4 and a protective de- VICB The rheostat 3, which is remotely located from the panel 1 and may be of any wellknown construction, embodies a series of circularly arranged stationary contact terminals 6 and a coperating movable contact arm. 7. The movable arm 7 is rigidly attached to a shaft 8 which also carries a sprocket wheel 9.

It will, of course, be understood that my invention is not restricted to a rheostatic device, as other devices of a similar character may also be employed. v V

The operating hand wheel 2 is fastened to a shaft 10 that projects through the panel 1 and is provided with a sprocket wheel 11 in the usual manner.

The rheostat 3, or other similar device, is located below the panel 1 in such posiating hand wheel 2. Manifestly,the rheostat 3 is not restricted to the location inracencea Aug. s, wie.

dicated, but may be placed'in any desired remote position. A Vchain V12 passes over the sprocket wheels 9 and 11, .in the usual manner, whereby any movements of the operating hand wheel 2 is transmitted to the .rotatable Contact arm 7 pf the rheostat.

The protecting device 5 comprises a supporting plato 13 that is loosely mounted upon the shaft 10, a plurality of pipes or conduit sections 14 which inclose the portions of the chain 12 that extend between the sprocket wheels 9 and 11, and may be bent to any desired form, and a plurality of cap or end members 15 which are secured to the respective ends of the pipe or conduit sections by set screws 16 or other suitable means.

The supporting plate 13 is provided with two symmetrically located curved slots 17 which permit each of the upper cap or end members 15 to be adjustably secured in position by a suitable bolt 18 that projects through an opening in a lug 19 which forms an integral part of each cap member.

Although the cap members 15 that are attached to the lower ends of thelrespective pipe sections 14 are shown as rigidly secured to an angle iron or supporting bracket 20, in S'ome cases it may be desirable to provide the rheostat sprocket wheel 9 with an adjustable plate similar to the one just described, for purposes of attachment.

By reason of the loosely mounted plate 13 and the elongated curved slots 17 therein, the upper cap or end members 15 and, hence, the

associated pipe sections 14, may be adjust-` ed to any desired angular positions in order to avoid obstructions, and a' tangential relation may be maintained between the end portions of said pipe sections 14 and the associated sprocket wheel 11 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This relation compels the chain 12 to run on and oft' of the sprocket wheel at a proper angle to avoid kinks and excessive friction.

Although I have shown and described a protecting device embodying specific structural details, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications may be effected in the arrangement and location of parts without departing from the spirit and scope ot' myl invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a switchboard device, the combination with coperating relatively movable members, an operating member and an endless driving mechanism or transmitting the movement of said operating member to one of the-movable members, of means for cooperating with the said mechanism for protecting and definitely positioning the same, and adjustable means for changing the position of said means.

2. In a switchboard device, the combination with a movable member, an operating member and a chain and sprocket mechanism'for connecting the said movable member and the said operating member, of means for inclosing portionsof 'Said chain, and

adjustable means associated with said operating member for supporting the inclosing means in tangential relation to the associated sprocket wheel.

3. In a switchboard device, thecombination with a movable member, an operating member, sprocket wheels respectively attached to said movable member and to said operating member and a chain connecting said sprocket wheels, of a plurality of conduit sections for independently inclosing portions of said chain, and adjustable means Jfor supporting said conduit sections in tangenti-al relation to one of said sprocket wheels. z

4. A switchboard device comprising a movable member, an operating member, mechanical means for transmitting the movement of said member to the said movable member, conduits for inclosing portions of said mechanical means, a slotted supporting member, and end members secured to said conduits and adapted to be adjustably attached to said slotted member.

5. A switchboard device comprising an operating member associated with a switchboard panel, a remotely disposed device having coperating movable and stationary members, a chain and sprocket mechanism connecting the operating member and the movable member of the remotely disposed device, a supporting member loosely associated with said operating member, pipes inclosing portions of said chain, and end members attached to said pipes and adapted to be adjustably secured to said supporting member in tangential relation with the sprocket wheel that is associated with the said operating member.

. 6. A switchboard device comprising an operating member associated with'a switchboard panel, a remotely disposed device having coperating movable and stationary said handle.

7. A switchboard device comprising an operating member mounted on a switchboard panel, a remotely disposed movable member, a plurality of sprocket wheels respectively attached to said operating member and to the said movable member, a chain cooperating With said sprocket wheels, a plurality of pipe sections respectively inolosing the portions of said chain between said sprocket Wheels, a plurality of Cap members respectively attached to said pipe sections, and a supporting plate loosely mount ed upon the shaft of said operating member' and having symmetrically disposed curved slots to cooperate with the cap members, whereby said pipes are adjustably support- 

